Dr. Annie Smith Travel Scholarship Winners, Summer 2015

This travel award is designed to provide an opportunity for Art and Art History students to earn course credit in Art History or Art Studio while studying abroad. Meet some of the 2015 winners:

Cherie Novecosky travelled to New Zealand for a semester and took courses

Image of Cherie Novecosky holding her award
which included Mana Tonga (Maori culture art history), 19th-century art in France and Britain and Theology 101.

"My experience abroad was an absolutely incredible experience! I learned so much about myself, the direction of my career and where I want my school career to take me. I am surprised at how much this experience has shifted my life but I am so grateful! It really offered me a different perspective on my time at UTM. I was able to meet the most amazing people overseas that helped shift my experience into such a positive light and I have been able to carry these relationships back home with me. I HIGHLY recommend to anyone looking into going on an exchange just to do it! My favourite quote is, "Travel is the only thing you can buy that will leave you richer." I feel like the richest person alive. Thank you to the University of Toronto and to the University of Auckland. You have given me an opportunity of a lifetime.”

Veronica on top of the Carfax Tower, Oxford
Veronica Prokopovych also travelled to Oxford to study Medieval Art and Architecture. Veronica told us the experience was "incredible," and shared her thoughts:

“I’ve walked the halls where the queen resides, rode a red double-decker bus, eaten fish n’ chips in pubs older than Canada and stood face to face with paintings I’d only previously seen in textbooks; all the while making amazing friends along the way! The Summer Abroad experience is only for those who have a thirst for adventure and a love for experiencing different lifestyles. I was very lucky to be able to spend a month living in the enchanting city of Oxford with its historic grace and aura of knowledge. The course itself was comprehensive and engaging and I'm convinced that England is the most fantastic place to study medieval art."

Sophia in Northleach Parish Church's Lady Chapel, Gloucestershire, England.
Sophia Luo travelled to England to study Medieval Art and Architecture in England at Oxford. She summarized her experience below:

"Going to England has been one of the best experiences of my life. Not only was it my first time in Europe, but I got to spend it learning things that helped me appreciate English architecture and history so much more than if I had just gone in as a tourist. I really feel changed after having gone to England for summer abroad in ways that I can't articulate. Some highlights of the trip are: visiting Salisbury cathedral, seeing the Book of Kells in person, and all the afternoon teas held at the Ashmolean Museum that was down the road from our residence! If I could go one more year for a different course, I'd do it in a heartbeat."

 

 

 

 

 

Simon at the British Museum, in front of the Parthenon Friezes exhibit.
Simon Termine also studied Medieval Art and Architecture at Oxford. He noted that it was a fantastic trip, and that having the chance to go to Oxford and learn firsthand was amazing. He shared more feedback below:

It's one thing to look at pictures on a projector in a lecture hall, but to be able to visit the 1000-year-old churches, to see the illuminated manuscripts inscribed by monks centuries ago, is virtually unparalleled. Spending a month at Oxford University, learning about Medieval art and architecture, was a remarkable experience. There were so many opportunities to explore and enjoy the beautiful culture both inside and outside the classroom.”